Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1887-06-01

The tough little horse would endure any
amount of hard riding without signs of fag-
gng if, however, his rider dismounted, he
would refresh himself by promptly lying
down without waiting TO have the trappings
removed Although the saddle suffered
from the contact with the earth his owner
would not allow him to be disturbed The
horse was very fond of apples, and the Cen
eral always remembered him when that
deicacy could be had. Little Sorrel soon
became thoroughly trained steed. II his
rider was deep i'll the mysteries of come
plans he would suit his gait to the humor ;
he often heard the soft accents of muttered
prayer, and bore himself with show of SOL
emnity until some dashing courier on spr
tied horse or the 'song of q shell' aroused
him 10 bear himself like the war horse that
he was. The horse loved the roar of battle
and the rush of a charge, and chafed under
81 close rein aud dogged retreat.
Jackson did not know music, and once
showed his dullness for it by askiuga young
lady if she had ever heard a song called
Dixie and when she had finished singing
it he seemed much pleased, but did not re-
cognize the air played every day by the
kind Of music which he always recog
pized-it was the yell with which his troops
always greeted him when he appeared be-
fore them. He always acknowledged the
compliment by taking off mis- gray cap and
Little Sorrel catching the inspiration of the
moment, would break into gallop and
continue it until the sound had ceased. The
inmates of the Soldiers Home say that up
to the last he retained his fondness for the
sound of gun; that when the boys would
fire rapidly in the neighborhood, killing
robins, the horse would trot off in the direc
ton and look over the fence with great in
terest; turning with the change of direction
he would trot of in search of the sound. 1t
is rather remarkable that the horse was
never wounded, although he bore Jackson
through his campaigns of Romney, Mellow
ell, Port Republic, Winchester, Cross Keys,
Cold Harhor, second Manassas, Fredericks-
burg and the fatal field of Charlottesville.
During the Maryland campaign Jackson rode
handsome gray, presented 10 him by an ad.
miring Marvlander, and came near losing
his life by the horse falling on him. He
had also very handsome sorrel presented
to him by the people of Augusta, TIA.
It was at Charlottesville, after a vigor-
Gus stroke, when Jackson, by prompt
movement, had cut Hooker's line in two,
capturing many prisoners and guns, that
Little Sorrel was to lose his most devoted
friend. It appears that Jackson rode out
with three or four members of his staff to
reconnoitre; when they returned it was
dark. The troops that saw him pass had
been relieved by others, who were instruct.
ed to fire upon the approach of anything in.
dicating the enemy these were startled by
the approach of horses hoofs in rapid can
ter and delivered one or two volleys. The
result of this assault was the unhorsng of
Jackson with wound in the right hand, an
other in the upper part of the right arm !,
land a third in the left arm. These wounds
we're not necessarily fatal, but soon after he
took to his bed pneumonia developed, with
a fatal result. Little Sorrel was stsmpeded
When the confusion that followed the ter
rible accident was at its height, and it was
feared that the little horse had escaped into
the eneuly's lines. The next day some of
Stuart's men found him and returned him to
headquarters.
After the death of Jackson the favorite of
the camp was sent to Mrs. Jackson at her
home near Charlotte, n. G. A few years
ago, in response to an urgent request, she
sent him to the Virginia Military Institute,
where her husband was professor at the be-
ginning Of the war. The horse was sent to
the New Orleans Exposition to be eexhibited
for the benefit of the Confederate Home and
for the Jackson Monument Fund. His life
was shortened by the tip and by cold con-
tracted while south. After his return he
wts consigned to the care of the inmates of
the Home near Richmond; some of them
having kept step with him in the trying
times when their beloved leader was on his
hack. The horse was an object of much in
ie est TO visitors to the Soldiers Home, and
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